09/09/09 — Today is The Day
The above tweet was sent out by me on Twitter last night at about 1:30 am.
I forgot about it until I saw a link to an article on Yahoo titled Why 09/09/09 Is So Special. From calculated marketing activities such as film openings to the most personal celebrations such as weddings, people around the world have attached some significance to the date. Some good and some not so good.
One of my first thoughts was to radically change my life by making a radical change in my daily lifestyle. My second though … why are you lying to yourself … seriously. Am I really gonna exercise an hour a day everyday? While I’d like to, I don’t want to disappoint myself with such a lofty goal right now.
I was recently talking to someone about making a radical change in our lives and losing weight. He is taking small steps and being realistic about what personal changes he will make that he knows he can realistically keep. I’m sure his small daily steps will lead him to his ultimate goal. I need to do the same. Small realistic goals.
As I continued to mull over ideas, I’ve come up with something that I think I can do which will help me stay committed long term. I think it’s actually a good idea. The action is small enough where I really don’t have a valid excuse to not do it, plus it’s flexible enough so that I will truly stay committed. I’ll never be able to say that I don’t feel like doing one thing because I don’t have to do just one thing.
Does that sound like a commitment to not committing to anything?
It does, but really it’s not. Really.
I’ve decided to commit myself to doing something for 9 minutes a day to increase my overall well being. It can be exercise, meditation, cooking a healthy meal or just making the conscious effort to relax and take a moment to myself. While this may seem simple, the truth is that I really don’t take much time out of my life for myself. I don’t exercise regularly, I don’t cook, I’m always stressed about something in my life, I’m overworked and sometimes my life is chaotic. Very chaotic.
Over the years, I’ve always struggled with the work/life balance that comes with being an entrepreneur. Add being a caretaker to a developmentally disabled brother (who I described as a perpetual kid/teen who struggles to be independent but who constantly requires my help in managing his life) and you can probably understand why finding “me time” has been challenging.
I’ve rolled with the punches that life has tossed my way, but I’m finally realizing that if I don’t start fighting back that I may be down for the count. My battle with my weight is literally a fight for my life.
As I get older, my fear is becoming a statistic. African American woman, obese, with high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer, heart disease, etc. All diseases which can be attributed to lifestyle. All diseases that my relatives have had and died from.
As I though more about the 9 minute idea, I realized that it may be hard to do some things in 9 minutes. It doesn’t matter. The beauty of the idea is that if when I get up to exercise (or do something else) for 9 minutes, I’ll probably keep doing it since I’ve started. Getting started is always the hard part for me.
Can you relate? Do you have any tips on keeping commitments to yourself? Put any ideas, suggestions in the comments section below.
~ April
Radical Change !!! 